The show, which aired via tape delay on Spike TV, took place at the 02 Arena in front of nearly 20,000 fans.

Henderson set a frantic early pace, and the former Greco-Roman Olympic wrestler appeared to have done enough to win the first two rounds. However, Jackson, who spent much of his pre-fight training in the high altitudes of Big Bear, Calif., got the best of the next three rounds, out-grappling the famed wrestler while relying equally on endurance and talent.

With the victory, Jackson won the unified title, and the PRIDE 205-pound belt is now gone.

Although 25-minute fights are almost always slowed down by noticeable lulls in the action, Jackson’s solid cardio training — and both fighters’ sense of urgency in the final minutes — made the five-round affair a thoroughly enjoyable contest.

Jackson won it with scores of 48-47, 49-46 and 49-46.

However, long after the championship bout kicked off, fans were still reeling from the prior bout’s outcome.

In what may be remembered as one of the year’s most controversial fights, “The Ultimate Fighter 3″ winner Michael Bisping (14-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) won a split decision over former castmate and bitter rival Matt Hamill (3-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC).

Bisping, a local product who received the night’s biggest pre-fight applause, was loudly booed after the verdict was announced. Those spectators weren’t alone. The majority of fans who watched the fight on the tape-delayed broadcast were outraged when they finally saw the fight and learned Bisping was the winner.

Two judges had the Brit winning the fight 29-28 while the third had Hamill with a winning 30-27 score.

Hamill decisively won the first frame, wobbling his opponent with a series of stiff right jabs. Hamill stalked Bisping around the cage, even allowing him to stand after he had been forced to the canvas. A few easy takedowns and Bisping’s bloodied face easily earned Hamill a 10-9 score in the first round.

The controversy, though, would come in the next two. A back-and-forth battle ensued, and Hamill’s preference to keep the fight standing — rather than score takedowns and control the fight from the ground — may have been the three-time NCAA Division III wrestling champ’s undoing. Two judges felt Bisping did enough to win the rounds, while the third judge felt Hamill won both.

In the end, it was a split-decision victory for the still-undefeated Bisping. The scores were 29-28, 29-28 and 27-30.

It’s a fight that’s sure to be replayed — and discussed — over and over again during the next couple days.

Filipovic looked slow, expressionless — even bored — as he failed to connect on any big strikes, including his trademark head kicks. Kongo had an answer for everything, showing marked improvement on the canvas while connecting on ground and pound and easily reversing positions. Previously looking like a turtle on its back, the Frenchman looked comfortable on the ground, and that confidence carried him in the stand-up game.

Solid knees and kicks to the body propelled Kongo to a unanimous-decision victory and another step up the heavyweight rankings.

For Filipovic, it could be the beginning of the end for the heavyweight’s potential shot at a title.

In what could — and should — earn the UFC’s Fight of the Night award, Marcus Davis (13-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC) weathered an early storm from Paul Taylor (8-2-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC). The Brit connected on a head kick that dazed Davis and sent him to the canvas. The fight was nearly stopped as Taylor rained down a barrage of shots, but Davis kept him composure, tied up his opponent, and even reversed the position.

Davis, a former cast member from “The Ultimate Fighter 2″ whose gone from former professional boxer to true mixed-martial artist, then unleashed a barrage of short punches from the sidemount position.

The turnaround was shocking, and when Taylor bucked his opponent from the mount, Davis secured an armbar submission for the shocking victory.

Davis has now won 10 straight fights, including five in the UFC, and likely guaranteed himself a marquee fight in the UFC’s crowded welterweight division the next time he enters the Octagon.

Speaking of fighters securing a top spot in a division, Nebraska hip-hop DJ and rising light heavyweight contender Houston Alexander (8-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) proved his lightning-quick knockout of Keith Jardine at UFC 71 may just be par for the course.

The longtime amateur underground fighter uncorked and nearly decapitated Alessio Sakara (11-6 MMA, 2-3 UFC) with a knee from the clinch that instantly sent the Italian to the canvas. Alexander was pulled off the opponent after a couple follow-up punches and secured his second knockout victory in the UFC.

That’s two TKO victories in less than two total minutes of ring time since joining the Big Show.

Don’t be surprised to see Alexander take on one of the light heavyweight division’s top fighters in his next bout.

In one of the undercard’s best all-out brawls, Thiago Silva (11-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) connected on a second-round flurry to force a TKO stoppage and snap the 13-fight win streak of Tomasz Drwal (14-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC).

German kickboxer Dennis Siver (11-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) blasted Naoyuki Kotani (17-7-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC) with a big left hook to floor the Japanese fighter in the second round. Yves Lavigne wasted little time stopping the fight to award Siver a TKO victory.

After a one-year layoff, Anthony Torres‘ (5-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) return to action was unsuccessful as the former cast member from “The Ultimate Fighter 2″ suffered a first-round TKO to Jess Liaudin (12-8 MMA, 2-0 UFC).

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